Vehicle lights are old and well known. Countless forms of vehicle lights exist, including: headlights, fog lights, tail lights, reverse lights, parking lights, daytime running lights, and turning lights, among countless others. Each type of light or light configuration serves its own unique purpose and provides its own unique advantages.
With improvements in light technology, such as the development of light emitting diodes (“LEDs”), a great variety of accessory lights have been developed. These accessory lights come in a wide array of configurations and provide their own unique functions and advantages.
One common form of an accessory light is known as a light bar. Light bars are designed to fit in the small space between the upper edge of the bumper and the lower edge of the tailgate of a pickup truck and include a long array of lights that are electrically connected to the electrical system of the vehicle. These light bars provide improved illumination and thereby improve visibility when breaking, turning and backing up.
While conventional light bars provide many advantages, they suffer from many disadvantages not solved by the prior art. Namely, the environment where light bars exist is extremely caustic. That is, the space on the back of a pickup truck between the bumper and the tailgate is a wet and dirty environment that is also exposed to road chemicals, exhaust fumes, and whatever chemicals or other contaminants drain out of the bed of the pickup truck. In addition, in this position on the exterior of the vehicle, light bars are exposed to the elements and must endure temperature extremes from the coldest of cold nights to the hottest of hot days. Due to these extreme conditions, many conventional light bars have short lives due to the combined effects of temperature extremes and infiltration of water and contaminants that lead to premature failure or short useful lives.
Complicating matters further, the space between the bumper and the tailgate on most trucks is extremely limited. That is, the vertical height between the top of the bumper and the bottom of the tailgate and fenders is increasingly vertically narrow. This means that the light bar must be extremely compact is size and shape otherwise it cannot be used for its intended purpose. This means that the form factor of the light bar must be extremely compact which complicates the electronic assembly of the system, heat dissipation requirements, weather proofing, installation and the overall design and configuration of the system.
Therefore, in view of the disadvantages in the prior art, for the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the specification, claims and drawings there is a need in the art for an improved light bar.
Thus, it is a primary object of the invention to provide a light bar that improves upon the state of the art.
Another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that has a long useful life.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that can be used on practically any vehicle.
Another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that fits in the space between the bumper and the tailgate of most if not all pickup trucks.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that is water proof.
Another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that is weather proof.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that is can be exposed to the elements.
Another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that is contaminant proof.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that is easily installed.
Another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that can be connected to practically any vehicle's electrical system.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that provides multi-purpose functionality.
Another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that has an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that is easy to use.
Another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that improves safety.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that includes white, yellow/amber and red lights.
Another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that includes breaking, backup and turning functionality.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that efficiently dissipates heat.
Another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that is separated into electrical segments that are independently controllable.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that is bright.
Another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that is formed of a plurality of independent lights but appears to be a single continuous light strip when illuminated due to the density of the independent lights.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that can be installed without drilling into the body of the vehicle.
Another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that is durable.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that is rugged.
Another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that has an intuitive design.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that is formed of a minimum number of parts.
Another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that provides value, utility and novelty to the user.
Another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that has a low profile.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that can be installed with adhesives and clips.
Another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that can be installed using adhesives.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a light bar that improves safety.
These and other objects, features, or advantages of the invention will become apparent from the specification, claims and drawings.